


Limited Choices

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Hamlet - Shakespeare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Female Hamlet - Freeform, Female Horatio, Gen, Male Ophelia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:14:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28699716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Princess Hamletta discovers there is more to her uncle's assumption of the throne than she first believed.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: What If? AU Challenge





	Limited Choices

**Author's Note:**

> Written for DW's WhatIf AU Role Reversal Challenge
> 
> Hamlet and Horatio are female, Ophelia is male. All other characters remain as canon.
> 
> Some character death, as per canon.

Lettie sat at the dining table and glared around her. She had no wish to be there, but protocol demanded that she attend the formal meals every day, and whereas in the past she’d been able to avoid them on a fairly regular basis, things had changed, and it had been made clear to her that from now on her presence was expected.

Lettie, her full title was Princess Hamletta of Denmark, was the daughter, and only child, of King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude. Ordinarily, she could have inherited the throne on the death of her father, but times were dangerous, and her mother had taken the pragmatic step of marrying her brother-in-law, who had assumed the throne in the place of his new stepdaughter.

After the meal, and once the other nobles had left, Lettie repeated her request to be allowed to return to finishing school when the new term began.

“There is no point,” her stepfather, Claudius said. “Your path is already marked out for you. You do not need the contacts finishing school would provide to find a suitable husband. Any suitor will approach you instead and will be vetted by the court officials.”

“There is more to learn than just how to find a husband,” Lettie objected. “We cover philosophy, literature, and natural sciences.”

“None of which you will need. If you are intent on reading, you can use the library here, which will provide sufficient that is suitable.”

Lettie glared at him but held her tongue. If she couldn’t achieve her aim in one way, she would find a more subtle approach. She left the hall and found her schoolfriend, Horatia, waiting for her. 

“What’s up?” Lettie asked.

“I think I’ve seen your father’s ghost,” Horatia said.

Lettie raised her eyebrows. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. Come with me tonight, and I’ll show you where I saw him.”

***

It was late evening when Lettie joined Horatia in the room which had been allotted to her. She was aware her mother had taken to checking up on her when she went to bed, and so had said she and Horatia were planning on having a girlie evening, so she might be late that night. Gertrude, who approved of her daughter doing anything girlie, seemed perfectly happy.

Just before midnight, the two girls crept out of Horatia’s room and slipped down the corridors until they reached the steps which led to what had once been the dungeons. Horatia tapped Lettie on the shoulder and put her fingers to her lips.

Shortly afterwards a ghostly figure came gliding towards them, before descending the steps. Lettie followed, indicating that Horatia should keep watch where she was. The ghost led Lettie through the dungeons before disappearing through a thick wooden door. Expecting it to be locked, Lettie tried the door and to her surprise it swung open. She went out and found herself in a small inner keep.

There, she faced the ghost. “Who are you, and what do you want?”

“I am your father, and I want revenge on the man who killed me. My own brother poisoned me to take my throne.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“You? Marry and have a son, and then my grandson can wrest the throne back as my heir.”

In silence, Lettie turned, opened the wooden door, and slipped back inside the dungeons. Cautiously, she crossed the dungeons and crept back up the steps. There she found Horatia, her cloak wrapped around her, sitting in one of the deep window recesses. Silently, the two made their way back to Horatia’s room.

“What happened?” Horatia asked.

“My father claims to have been poisoned by Uncle Claudius.”

Horatia gasped.

“It’s probably true. The two of them hated each other. My father had made some disastrous decisions lately, and my uncle blamed him for the recent military setbacks.”

“But even so.”

“Why do you think my uncle was able to take power so easily? The nobles supported him.”

“And then your mother married him.”

“Yes. Better that than unexpectedly die in her sleep. And what chance do you think she and I would have had if she’d stood out for me to take the throne?”

“So what are you going to do? Did the ghost want you to avenge him?”

Lettie gave an unladylike snort. “No, the ghost wants me to marry and have a son, so that he can take the throne. Probably killing all other claimants in the process.” She paused, before continuing, “However, it has made clear what Claudius’ plans are. I’m to stay here until such time as he can find me a suitable husband. For the moment I’m safe, but if, or when, he tires of my mother and finds another wife – don’t look like that, Horatia, it’s happened in other countries – I don’t have much hope for my chances.”

“I thought Ophelius was serious about you. You wrote to one another often enough last term.”

“There’s no way he’s going to be acceptable to my uncle. I think it’s likely I’ll be married to an ally, preferably one far enough away so they won’t provide a threat.”

“Norway?”

“Far too close, and too aggressive.”

“England?”

“Oh, please. I hope not. I don’t think Claudius will be in a rush. He’ll want to consolidate his power first. In the meantime, I have some ideas of my own. And no, before you ask, I’m not going to share them with you. My only request is that you accept everything I do at face value and continue to be my friend.”

###

_Two months later:_

Horatia walked across the lawn to where Lettie was sitting on a bench underneath a beech tree.

Lettie smiles as she saw her approach and said, “It’s good to see you. Thank you for coming.”

“I’m pleased I could come. Your mother was keen for me to do so,” Horatia replied. “How are you being treated?”

“Very well. I am, after all, the daughter of the previous king and the stepdaughter of the current monarch. And I am here because of a temporary breakdown brought about by the death of my father. At least, I assume that is what is still being said.”

“Yes, that’s certainly the message I received from your mother. She said they are hoping you will be recovered enough to return to court next autumn.”

“Not until then?”

“No. She said it would be cooler and more peaceful for you here, rather than spending the summer by the sea, when there would be many balls, concerts and such like, which she thought would be rather tiring.”

“And it will be much easier to monitor my contacts when they are back in the castle in the autumn, rather than during the summer. Is there any news?”

“A bit, kept from you, I presume to avoid distressing you. And I’m sorry to be the bearer.”

“Go ahead. I want to know.”

“I’m afraid Ophelius is dead. He seems to have drowned, but the details were never released.”

Lettie swore. “I thought by repudiating him so publicly he would be safe.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure you were the sole reason. You knew Polonius died, don’t you?”

“No, I hadn’t heard.”

Horatia thought for a moment, before saying, “It happened the same time as you staged your breakdown, and there may have been a connection. Ophelius certainly thought so.”

“Explain!”

“Polonius died from an apparent heart attack. According to Ophelius, Polonius reported something to Claudius about a conversation you had with your mother. He died shortly afterwards.”

“And so Ophelius challenged Claudius and signed his own death warrant. How did Polonius know what was said?”

“Couldn’t he have asked the maids? I thought you told me you were never alone with your mother.”

“I wasn’t. I made very sure that we weren’t alone, so that no-one could accuse my mother of being complicit. Anyway, I’m fairly sure one of the maids was a spy for Claudius. She would have gone straight to him. No, Polonius must have been listening in. In which case, serve him right. Claudius likes his spies, but only if he sends them himself, he doesn’t take kindly to freelancers.”

“Does that mean?”

“Are there spies here? Of course, but don’t worry, no-one’s listening to us in the garden. There’s a reason why I sit on this bench.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“I have an idea. It’s not what I’d have chosen, but I think this is my only real option. I should be safe for the summer, Claudius will want to present me back at the castle at the beginning of the autumn. He’ll be able to tell the people that I have had time to recover and all is well. After which, I may not remain in the same good state of health.” She paused, then said, “I assume Fortina is still at school.”

“Oh yes, as hale and hearty and fond of outdoor sports as ever.”

“Can you get a message to her?”

###

_Three months later, Bornholm:_

Claudius read through the letter he had just been handed, his face growing darker the further he went. Finally, he threw it down on the table.

“Did you know anything about this?” he asked Gertrude.

“About what?” she replied.

He pointed to the letter. “Read it!”

She read the letter, turned very pale, and sat down. “Oh!”

“How did it happen?”

“I don’t know.”

“Fortinbras of Norway turns up at the home, with some of his men. Forces his way inside and abducts your daughter. How did he know where she was?”

“His sister, Fortina, was at school with Hamletta and Horatia. Horatia must have told Fortina, who told her brother. You remember we agreed that Horatia could visit Hamletta for an afternoon.”

“And where is Horatia now?”

“I don’t know, but her family have moved to Germany, so I imagine she has gone to be with them.”

“Then I can do nothing about her. And Fortinbras, too, will be out of the country by now. I will instruct all those at the home to remain silent and wait for Fortinbras’ next move. No doubt he will demand a ransom.” Claudius strode across the room but turned at the doorway. “And if I find you had anything to do with this…”

“I am as surprised as you.”

***

Claudius waited impatiently to hear from Fortinbras. Finally, five days later, the Norwegian ambassador arrived, and presented an embossed envelope to Claudius.

Claudius opened it and saw an invitation to the wedding of Prince Fortinbras with Princess Hamletta to be held at the beginning of October. 

With the invitation was a handwritten note, which said: _This wouldn’t have been my preferred choice, but in the circumstances, it was the best one I had. Fortinbras and I agreed that marriage would have advantages for both of us. Lettie_


End file.
